Reverend Jane Capstick takes a moment to write “peace, love, friendship” on a large wooden “hope” sign displayed on the front lawn of Trinity United Church in Beamsville. As vehicles pass by on busy King Street, the sign stands as a symbol of optimism and unity for the community.
Traditionally, this sign, which also features the words “love,” “joy,” and “peace,” is put up in December to mark Advent, the four-week period leading up to Christmas. The sign is usually taken down after the holiday season. However, this year, church officials decided to keep it up as a way of spreading hope throughout the year.
“We thought that by leaving the sign up and inviting people to write their own messages of hope for the community, it would be a way to bring people together in these uncertain times,” said Irene Romagnoli, chair of the church council.
Romagnoli credited the church’s Gather Peace Service 365 committee for coming up with the idea to leave the sign in place. The team set up markers near the sign, encouraging people to add their own handwritten messages of hope and encouragement. The response has been positive, especially on social media, and Romagnoli hopes it will continue to spread.
For those unable to visit the sign, Romagnoli mentioned that people could send their messages of hope via email to [email protected], and someone from the church would add them to the sign.
Any inappropriate or profane messages will be painted over, but all other contributions will be recorded.
“The sign will eventually be taken down, repainted, and stored until next December,” Romagnoli explained, “but we’ll keep the messages and share them through the year.”
Reverend Capstick also expressed her appreciation for the sign, calling it a “beautiful thing.” She emphasized the importance of keeping the word ‘hope’ visible to offer a tangible way for people to express optimism during such challenging times.
The church’s initiative serves as a reminder that hope can be shared and nurtured in the community, no matter the season.
